AMG Review of Wild Young Hearts

Heather Phares
All Music Guide

The Noisettes defied expectations on their debut, What's the Time Mr. Wolf?, mixing funk and folk, garage rock and gospel, and punk and pop. They also defy expectations on Wild Young Hearts, a collection of songs that's a lot more polished and cohesive than what came before. "Sometimes," a pretty, acoustic jazz-pop number, and "Don't Upset the Rhythm"''s unabashed disco-pop reaffirm that Shingai Shoniwa sounds great on almost any style of music. Elsewhere, the title track's giddy, witty bounce recalls Lily Allen as much as it does a classic '60s pop tune; "24 Hours" nods to Santogold's shiny new wave revival; and "Never Forget You"'s soulful strut echoes Amy Winehouse.